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Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

For Cas Lowood, ghost hunting is in his blood. After his father died, Cas took over the job and has been banishing vengeful spirits ever since. Now a tip on a particularly malevolent ghost has led Cas to Thunder Bay, Ontario. Anna, nicknamed Anna Dressed in Blood by the locals, has been wreaking havoc since her death back in the 50s. For decades, Anna has eliminated anyone unlucky enough to stumble into her home. As dangerous as Anna is, Cas feels there's something different about her. Even when she brutally murders another teen in front of him, she spares Cas, allowing him to leave unharmed. Cas is fascinated by Anna and becomes determined to learn her story, returning to see her again and again. What is it about Anna that makes her special and why does Cas resist killing her outright?

I was dying to read Anna after seeing how much other reviewers were raving about the book. Thankfully, it fully lived up to my expectations! Kendare Blake does a great job laying out the pieces of not one but two stories and tying them together in a way that makes complete (and satisfying) sense for the reader.

And of course there's a follow up. Girl of Nightmares rounds out the story and was released earlier this year. (Post to come.) Blake has reportedly signed on for a new series, so I think the duo of titles completes Cas and Anna's tale. I'd love to see more of Cas in the future as I can definitely see more possibilities with his character but can happily say that the conclusion of Girl nicely ties up the story begun in Anna.

Anna Dressed in Blood is teen horror (not terribly horrific in my opinion) with a bit of a romantic element. Nice cross over appeal for adults here as well!